Fire Safety Infographic
As the saying goes, “Better safe than sorry!” – it’s good to know the basics in fire safety. That way, you’ll feel safer and more secure in your own home.
So what are you waiting for? Apply what you’ve learned.
As the saying goes, “Better safe than sorry!” – it’s good to know the basics in fire safety. That way, you’ll feel safer and more secure in your own home.
So what are you waiting for? Apply what you’ve learned.
Lower your health and safety risks by cleaning your air ducts. Here’s what you as a homeowner should know.
Studies have shown that indoor air can be anywhere from two to five times more polluted than outside air. Most disposable filters remove about 10% of these pollutants allowing 90% to enter the air system, even during the construction of a new home. The pollutants contain dust, pollen, mold spores, animal dander and much more. These materials collect in the furnace, air conditioner and duct surfaces, just as they do on the furniture and floor surfaces.
All inside air was once outside air, so all of the dust, chemicals, pollen, insects and mold spores in the outside air can be pulled into the air system. People shed millions of tiny dead skin cells every hour. Cooking smoke, household insect sprays, personal care products are also a source of pollutants. Many construction materials, carpets, wood products and plastics give off pollutants as well. During construction or remodeling activities, many types of dust are produced and find their way into the ductwork. If the duct components were stored outside prior to construction, they may have collected dust, rainwater and even mold before they were installed in a system.
Five to seven times a day, the air in your home circulates through the air ducts of your heating and cooling system, carrying with it the dust and debris of everyday living. There are three major parts to your air system:
All three components need to be cleaned. If only one or two of the components are cleaned, the contaminants from the third component will rapidly contaminate the ones that were cleaned. Depending on the amount of contamination and its location, energy consumption could be increased. If the fan blades, evaporator coil or other control components of the system are heavily contaminated, the system may have to run much longer to cool or heat the occupied space, thereby wasting a lot of energy in the process.
Your furniture and floors are cleaned regularly but the duct surfaces are hidden from view and can only be reached by specialized duct cleaning equipment. These pollutants can migrate out into the room again, or become a food source for mold and bacteria, which can thrive in this dark comfortable environment from high humidity or moisture from the air conditioner or humidifiers. Biological growth can release mold spores or toxins into the air system.
Once an air system is thoroughly cleaned, it should remain clean for three to seven years if properly maintained. A standard disposable filter only stops about 10% of the airborne contaminants, allowing 90% of the dust in the room to flow back into the air system. To maintain protection against biological growth, you should have a qualified duct cleaning professional apply an EPA-registered biocide every 6 to 12 months.
There are currently no national regulations on exactly how to cleanup former meth labs. Sometimes scrubbing and painting is all that is necessary to restore a former meth lab to a safe living environment. Sometimes, contamination is so broad and extensive that the inside of the building needs complete renovation. The removal of meth from a home is a difficult process, as the chemicals used in the production process saturate deep into the walls, carpets, and ceilings. The cleaning up of former meth labs ranges from minor cleaning to complete demolition of buildings. Some meth labs require soil and/or groundwater cleanup as well, depending on the extent of how and where chemical wastes were managed.
Not all houses previously used for meth labs are equally dangerous. However, do not attempt to clean up on your own…call us.
The chemicals used in the production of meth pose serious health risks to a home’s new inhabitants, as many of them are known carcinogens (cancer-causing agents). Some common symptoms of exposure to these chemicals include headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, sore throat, skin and eye irritation, and respiratory (breathing) problems. Acute (short-term) exposures to high concentrations of some of these chemicals can cause severe health problems including lung damage and burns to different parts of the body.
It’s important for potential homeowners to be aware and able to spot the indicators that a home may have been used as a meth lab. Most home inspectors don’t test for methamphetamines; because of this, it’s important that you not rely on the inspector to alert you of any potential meth problems. Some indicators are:
It is advised that property owners exercise caution and use the safest possible cleaning practices in dealing with a former meth lab property, as there could be residual contamination.
Since this is an emerging problem, there is currently no official guidance or mandatory national regulations on how to clean up a former meth lab property for reoccupation. Until a former meth lab has been properly cleaned up, no one should enter the home without appropriate personal protective equipment. The safest way to clean up a former meth lab is to hire an environmental company trained in hazardous substance removal and cleanup. At Choice Property Restoration, we are on your side. Call CPR at 615-886-7989 to schedule an appointment today. We’re the company that responds in a heartbeat!
Don’t wait until water comes pouring in. Early leak detection can spare you from bigger problems. Call us now and we’ll do the rest!
No matter how well your home or business’ structure is built, it’s always going to be susceptible in some form or another to water damage. Water tends to be tricky like that — there’s a lot you can do to halt it, but moisture has a knack for zeroing in on even the smallest weak spots and then spreading damage quickly.
That’s why it’s key, when water intrudes into your space, to quickly find the real source or sources of a leak and shore them up. Going on a hunch, when it comes to water detection, is a surefire way to end up with future headaches. At Choice Property Restoration, we specialize in leak detection, using state of the art tools that can accurately detect even the most well-hidden leaks efficiently and quickly.
The longer moisture is able to stay in your structure, the more widespread damage occurs — from ugly stains to weakened building materials and mold growth. And if you only find and fix the secondary damage, but don’t deal with the main source, you’re headed toward more damage, more headaches and more repair and restoration work. We use the tools and take the steps to do the job right.
Choice Property Restoration’s experienced technicians make use of a variety of industry-leading tools to ensure that we figure out your leak quickly and completely.
We use several different types of electronic moisture meters to find water problems that aren’t readily visible. Pinless or non-invasive moisture meters use high-frequency radio waves to detect moisture in materials like drywall, wood or concrete without having to damage those materials. We also use penetrating moisture probes to detect water that may be trapped deep in highly absorbent building materials like insulation.
These help us monitor how far intruding water has spread into a space, which can tell us whether moisture is hiding under your flooring, for instance, so we can keep you from developing odors and mold and mildew.
Thermal imaging cameras almost work like X-ray glasses for CPR technicians — we use these to scan areas with potential moisture issues, and even if that moisture is deeply hidden, it’ll show up on our cameras with a cooler temperature reading than dry building materials. Once we know where the problem is, we can start the process of repairing and restoring.
Those are just a few of the specialized tools our highly trained technicians use. Ultimately, if water is hiding in your structure, we’ll find it, and help you return your home and business to a dry and completely restored state. If you have a moisture problem – or are worried that you might – just call Choice Property Restoration. We’d be happy to help!
Dealing With Mold
Mold is an issue that a lot of homeowners in the Nashville area deal with, especially those whose homes were affected by the flood in 2010. Flood damage creates the perfect environment for mold to grow and reproduce. Choice Property Restoration has the equipment and experience necessary to resolve and restore your home, including damage from mold.
Anytime moisture makes its way into your home, mold is sure to follow. Mold can cause health problems.
Mold is a fungus that needs moisture and warmth in order to grow. It grows all year, and will usually affect areas in your home that are humid or moist, such as basements, kitchens, bathrooms, walls containing leaky pipes, and areas that have flooded. Mold can start to grow within 24-48 hours of water exposure, reproduce airborne mold spores, and spread quickly. It does not go away without treatment.
Molds can grow on many surfaces in the home, like ceiling tiles, drywall, wallpaper, and insulation. It also thrives in non-synthetic carpets (like wool), fabrics, and upholstery. Visible mold growth usually appears in many colors as surface discoloration, stains, or as a fuzzy growth.
There are many kinds of water damage that result in mold growth:
Mold poses health risks, such as sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, skin rash, and respiratory issues. Since we spend a lot of time in our homes (which means a lot of exposure) this can increase risks of worsening symptoms like headaches, body aches and pains, and even memory loss.
If you have symptoms of mold exposure, you increase the risk of furthering the damage by working in areas with mold or disturbing areas with mold growth. Unless you’re dealing with a moldy shower or other small space that can be easily cleaned and disinfected, it’s best to seek professional help. We can identify the problem, solve it, and restore your home to its pre-mold condition. Give us a call at 615-866-7989 for a ready response from our experts.
Call us! We are ready to respond. 615-866-7989
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